Be honest… when was the last time you used these words or others like them when talking about other advertising mediums or your competition? In return, when was the last time a client or prospect used these words, and you became defensive?
It’s common to hear comments from clients like:
“Nobody listens to radio anymore, do they? I never listen to radio anymore!”
“Isn’t everyone on Facebook?”, or…
“No one is on Facebook today, isn’t everyone on Instagram or Tic-Tok?”
“Everyone has a social media account.”
“Everyone gets their music from Pandora, Spotify, or SiriusXM.”
“Nobody reads the newspaper anymore!”
“No one listens to, watches, or reads commercials.”
In return, as media reps we say things like:
“No one uses Facebook anymore!”
“Nobody reads the newspaper today!”
“Everyone still listens to radio.”
“Nobody watches regular TV these days!”
If you are using these words in this context, Stop! Nobody, Never, and Everyone are overused, misleading, and dangerous words.
However, when they are spoken by a client, a prospect, or even by yourself, you can use them to your advantage. Knowing when you use them, catching yourself, and then correcting yourself can be immensely powerful.
Clients want to hear the truth. For example, if you catch yourself saying, “No one reads the newspaper anymore”, it’s an opportunity to say, “Pardon me, I misspoke. Actually, there are lots of people that still read the newspaper, just not nearly as many as a few years ago and unfortunately for the newspaper industry, that number continues to slide”. If your client says this, correct them. They’ll respect you for it and then ultimately trust you more because of it.
On the other hand, if a client makes a bold statement and says something like, “Nobody listens to radio anymore”, don’t immediately get defensive and refute what they said. Instead, say something like, “Why do you think that”, or, “What makes you say this?” Find out what they are thinking before you answer.
Knowing the statistic as to how many people consume the different mediums and platforms is especially important. After all, knowledge is power, but knowing the proper way to respond to our clients is even more powerful.
The old saying “Never say Never” is true, and so are, “Never say Nobody” and “Never say Everyone”! If and when they are spoken, use them to your advantage!
